Observant neighbor helps Niagara County deputies catch a thief

WRIGHT’S CORNERS – A neighbor who saw something suspicious in the woods behind a store near her house alerted Niagara County sheriff’s deputies, which led to the arrest of a Lockport man over the weekend.

Paul T. Villeneuve, 24, of Ridge Road, was charged with petit larceny just before 4:30 p.m. Saturday for shoplifting from Family Dollar and Rite Aid, both on Lockport-Olcott Road. Another man fled the scene and was not apprehended. Store owners from both stores said they were unaware that anything had been stolen, according to deputies.

Villeneuve and the other man are accused of shoplifting $32.60 worth of food, holiday and household items from Family Dollar, then going across the street and trying to hide the items in a bag in the woods before entering Rite Aid.

Deputies, alerted to the suspicious bag, confiscated it while the men were still in Rite Aid. Both men returned to pick up the bag and then fled when they realized patrol had confiscated it.

Villeneuve was apprehended and found with a lighter he admitted to stealing from Rite Aid, deputies said. They said he also admitted to stealing from Family Dollar.